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.......................--- Dzus Fastener Tools ---

......................................--- Page II ---

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On this page let's look at the first 3 tools I showed on the last page.

John Kimbrough made a tool like above and sent me a picture and it looked handy so I made one also.

Fairly simple to make. Take a steel Dzus and cut the head off and weld it to 3/8 inch steel rod.

Weld a handle on the other end and you are done. I might make an addition to this tool. Some times it is hard to get the leverage you need to pull a spring up. I migh weld a collar part way up the tool. Then I could insert it onto the spring and if the panel is in place put a couple blocks of wood on the panel to protect it and then use a pry bar between the wood and the collar.

You can also push the other way on the spring if needed. The tool helps to adjust the Dzus so it fits and holds the panel well.

Dzus fasteners modified like above can be bought and are handy to mark where the hole needs to be on the back side of a panel. Put them into spring tab, put the panel in place with maybe a piece of tape on it and tap the panel and the center of the Dzus should mark the location for the hole.

The pointed part is a 1/4 inch bolt with the head cut off and then ground in a drill on a bench grinder wheel with the drill turning.

Above are the bits and tap I used to make this tool.

I tried just drilling into the Dzus with a bit and it will work but it wanted to catch as it turned on the slot in the head of the Dzus. It went easier if I took an end mill and cut into the head just to the level of the bottom of the slot.

Then drilling it went much easier. I'd use the pilot bit first and then the drill bit of the right size for the 1/4 X 20 tap. Above is a picture when I just went with the bit from the start.

Here the Dzus is being tapped for the 1/4 inch bolt. Don't run threads all the way in. You want the bolt to bottom in the threads so that you can jam it against the tapered threads.

Cut the head off the bolt once it is in the Dzus and place the Dzus in a drill and ...

.... while running the drill turn a taper on the end by holding the drill at an angle to the wheel on a bench grinder.

Take a file to the end to get rid the the really sharp point that the grinding step created. They are now ready to use.

The tool to make the dimples in metal panels is very easy to make. I consists of a Dzus welded to a bolt of the proper length. A Dzus spring tab welded to a short length of round tubing and a handle welded to the tubing.

Pretty straight forward.

Put the Dzus with the bolts shank welded to it through the panel and the tool and put the washer/nut on and use a wrench and you have a dimple.

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